Development of a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) Implementation Model: Enhancing Intersectoral Approaches in Tackling Health Inequalities

Background & Research Aims

The HIA-IM (Developing a Health Impact Assessment Implementation Model: Enhancing Intersectoral Approaches in Tackling health Inequalities) project is co-hosted in UCC between the School of Public Health and ISS21. 

This project aims to strengthen intersectoral policy and practice in tackling health inequalities through the development of an enhanced HIA implementation model. Specifically, the implementation model will be developed by taking an action research methodological approach to the conduct of two HIAs in Ireland – one at a local policy level, addressing the Cork City Development Plan, and a second at a national policy level, addressing the Irish Government’s Climate Action Plan. A key component of the HIA implementation model will be a Community Engagement Toolkit to facilitate meaningful community engagement in the conduct of HIAs.

Project Funding & Dates

HIA-IM is funded by the Health Research Board Emerging Investigator for Health award held by Monica O’Mullane (grant number EIA-2022-001). The project runs for four years, from January 2023 to December 2026.

Project Team and Collaborators

Dr Monica O’Mullane is the PI on this four-year programme of research. Dr Tara Kenny is the postdoctoral researcher and Kirsty Nash is the research assistant working on the project.

HIA-IM includes colleagues from UCC including Professor Ivan Perry, Dr Sheena McHugh, both from the School of Public Health. Dr Ger Mullally from the School of Sociology & Philosophy, and Dr Hannah Daly from the ERI.  Dr Joanna Purdy (Institute of Public Health Ireland), Professor Uduak Archibong (University of Bradford) and Dr Lisa Pursell (University of Galway) are members of the Steering Group with Sheena and Ger. Professor Katherine Smith (University of Strathclyde) and Professor Ivan Perry are project mentors.

Project collaborators include Bernie Connolly, Public Involvement collaborator (Cork Environmental Forum- CEF), Dr Ben Harris-Roxas (University of New South Wales), Dr Liz Green (Public Health Wales, HIA Support Unit), Ben Cave (BCA Insight Ltd), Karen O’Mahoney (Cork City Council), Dr Ina Kelly (Health Service Executive Ireland- HSE), Dr Paul Kavanagh (Health Service Executive Ireland- HSE), Dr Sara Burke (Trinity College Dublin) and Tadhg O’Mahony (Environmental Protection Agency Ireland). A Public Involvement consultation group has been established for the project including Bernie Connolly (CEF), Denise Cahill (Cork Healthy Cities) Hans Zomer (Global Action Plan), Meaghan Carmody (Coalition 2030), Karin Dubsky (Coast Watch Ireland), Maisie Jones (Global Health Ireland), James Casey (Independent Living Group), Colette Bennett (Social Justice Ireland).

Project presentations

Details to follow

Contact

For more information on HIA-IM, please contact Monica O'Mullane (m.omullane@ucc.ie).

Updated 9.1.2024